Page 40 - The Indian EYE 072922

SPORTS JULY 29, 2022 | The Indian Eye 40

INDIA IN WEST INDIES

Without Bumrah & Kohli,

Indian team faces new challenges

in the Caribbeans

India and West Indies will square off in three one-day internationals (ODIs) from July 22 to July 27.

The 5-match T20I series will be played from July 29 to August 7

OUR BUREAU “But every great player that
I have seen in this game has been
Trinidad & Tobago (WI)
through it at some stage, whether
eam India had their first net that’s a batsman or a bowler, they
practice session in Trinidad have all been through it. And some-
Tahead of the first ODI against how, the best (players) find a way to
West Indies, which will take place on rebound and respond, and it’s only
Friday. Shubman Gil, Arshdeep Singh a matter of time before Virat does
and stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan that,” he added.
were among players who were seen Ponting thinks if India do decide
sweating it out in the nets. “Gearing to omit Kohli for the T20 World Cup
up for ODI No.1 against the West in Australia then there might be no
Indies Here’s @ShubmanGill giv- way back for him.
ing a lowdown on #TeamIndia’s first “If you leave Virat out of the
net session in Trinidad #WIvIND,” eve of the World Cup, and someone
tweeted BCCI. comes in and has a reasonable tour-
In a video posted by BCCI, Gill nament, it will be hard for Virat to get
described the indoor net session in a back in it,” Ponting said.
few words. “If I was India, I will keep push-
“We have come from UK. We all ing with him, because I know the
thought that a nets session would be upside. If they actually get him back
good, but it started raining. So, we de- confident and playing as well as he
cided to go indoors for a session. It is can, that upside is better than most.
better that we got to some knocking in- So, I think if I was a captain or a
doors instead of doing nothing. It felt coach around the Indian set-up, I will
good because as a batter, you like it be making life as easy as possible for
when you get some balls to play. We got him to feel as comfortable as possi-
to do some specific things in the nets. ble, and just wait for him to flick the
I am feeling great and we are all excit- switch and start scoring runs again,”
ed about these three ODIs,” he said. he added.
India has announced its squad Ponting suggested selectors must
for both ODI and T20I series. Senior find a spot for Kohli in India’s top-or-
players like Virat Kohli and Jasprit der and commit to leaving the cham-
Bumrah are missing from both squads. pion batter there for the entirety of
The Indian team last toured the T20 World Cup, with the hope he
West Indies in 2019. They both had finds his best form during the knock-
two Tests, three ODIs and three Hardik Pandya celebrates a catch against England out stages of the tournament.
T20Is. India won the Test series 2-0 “Early in the tournament, for a
and also won ODI and T20I series by first-round game, (it’s important to)
2-0 and 3-0 respectively. Men’s T20 World Cup. or an opposition player, I will be fear- get him in nice and early, among the
WILL BE FEARING PLAYING While Kohli struggled for runs ing playing an Indian team that has runs, and then hopefully by the end
AGAINST VIRAT: PONTING during this year’s IPL and hasn’t Virat Kohli in it, more than I would of the tournament you’ll have Virat
made a century for his country in any be one that doesn’t have him in it. I Kohli back at his best,” Ponting said.
ormer Australia batter Ricky format for almost three years, Ponting know there have been some challeng- “That’s the way I would look at
Ponting backed Virat Kohli and believes the 33-year-old is worth per- es for him, it’s been a difficult time,” it. I wouldn’t think about holding him
Fsaid that Team India should not sisting with at the international level. said Ponting in the latest episode of back at the start of the tournament,
drop him before the upcoming ICC “I think if I was an opposition captain The ICC Review. Continued at next page... >>

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